Improvement in invalid back-rests



WF mz//zJ Wwf@ mmf@ vN. PETERS, PHOTO LITHOGRAPHER WASH MBTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FELIx BROWN, oF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN INVALID BACK-RESTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,462, dated August 11, 1.863.

To all whom z5 may concern:

Be it known Vthat I, WILLIAM FELIX BROWN, acitizen ofthe United States of America, and a resident of New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Invalid Back- Best; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification, and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a side elevation Fig. 2 a vertical section, Fig. 3 atransverse section, and Fig. 4 a rear elevation, of it.

My invention consists in an improved invalid backrest or arrange-ment of a cushioned frame, a series of helical springs, and a secondary frame, with aprimary or cloth frame, and a hinged supporting-frame provided with certain latching apparatus, to be hereinafter described and my said invention is designed for use in a bed and against the back of an invalid, so as to afford ease and comfort to such person, either while sitting up or partially reclining in the bed.

The common invalid back-rest is a cushioned frame, furnished with a means of maintaining it at any desirable inclination when in a bed.

.It is, however, objectionable, on account ofits cushion, which is generally hard-stutted, and cannot be used Without a pillow being iirst placed in front of it. In warm` weather, or when the apartment of an invalid is warm, it is often desirable to dispense with the pillow, on account of its tendency to heat, either to an injurious or an uncomfortable degree, the back of the sick person.

My im proved back-rest requires no extra pillow or cushion, and is made so as to possess all the advantages of a pillow withoutits disadvantages, as above enumerated.

In carrying out my invention, l make use of two rectangular wooden frames, A B, which I connect together at two of their ends by hinges a a. I furnish the frame A with two hooked bars or latches, C C, to operate with two series of staples, D D, extended from the frame B, as shown in the drawings. vEach latch-bar O is hinged to the frame A. Across vthis latter frame, and on its face, a glazed cloth, b, is to be stretched and tacked at its edges to the frame. Instead of this cloth, a woven open net-work,made of rattan or other suitable material, may be used in the frame A. With the said frame A two other Awooden rectangular frames, D E, are used. They are arranged at a short distance apart and parallel to each other, and are connected by a series of helical springs, F F F, which are interposed between the said frames D E, as shown in the drawings, each of the said springs being fastened to both ofthe said last-mentioned frames. The front of the frame D is to have a cushion, G, stretched across and fastened to it, such cushion being provided with a glazed or water-proof cloth covering, c, which should also extend over the edges of the frame D, and from thence down to and on those of the frame E, to which it should be attached. Two dowels, el d, project from the rear sides of the end bars of the frame E, and enter corresponding holes, e e, made in the frame A.

By arranging the springs between side bars of the frames D E, and applying to the frame D a thin and flexible cushion, G, great ease will be secured to an invalid when reposing against the latter, for the springs are so arranged as not to interfere in any respect with the back of the patient, as they would be likely to do were they directly behind the same, while by their elasticity they contribute greatly to the ease of the frame, a-nd give to it all the advantages of a pillow, without the disadvantage of being too heating to theback of the patient. The space I between the frames, the cushion G, and the covering c is an air-chamber, which will operate to keep the cushion cool and comfortable to the patient.

Vhenever desirable, the cushioned and sec ondary frames D E may be removed from the frame A, and the latter Without them may be used as a support for an invalid while in bed. This change frequently becomes desirable, and can'be made to advantage either in Winter or in summer.

I do not claim merely t-wo frames hinged together and provided with a supporting-strut, racks, and a cushion, such being the ordinary invalid bedstead or back-rest; but,

I claim- My improved invalid back-rest, as made of a cushioned frame, D, a series of helical Springs, F F, an auxiliary frame, E, a covering of cloth or rattan, b, and the two frames A B, (hinged together and provided with a latching apparatus,) arranged in manner and So as to operate as spe-cied.

WM. FELIX BROWN. 

